Tell me I am not the only nutty one out there. I am not leaving for another 2 weeks and since I stayed home sick today I started to do minor packing and organizing. Of course this trip is 9 months in the making. How soon before your trip do you start packing and organizing. Just looking for a little validation to my nuttiness.

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MARINER OF THE SEAS-JULY 2006
MONARCH OF THE SEAS-DECEMBER 2005
MARINER OF THE SEAS-JULY 2005
MONARCH OF THE SEAS-AUGUST 2004

Nothing nutty about it. First I start organizing about 2 1/2 weeks before, hang everything together that I'm taking, pack the snorkeling back with equipment and shoes and handbags. About a week before I start packing suitcase, I find a place to put it out of the way, and I don;t close it up. I am usually ready at least one week before. Of course there are always the things that you can;t pack until the last minute. If I were going on a cruise in 2 weeks, I would be on the verge of a breakdown, I can;t stand the wait. Packing early helps. So if you are nuts so am I.

Jewels,
Start whenever ....pulling stuff out to pack adds to the excitement and gives you a chance to buy more stuff to bring before you go.
It's a good idea to make a checklist and then refine it(add more stuff)
i think they still make steamer trunks!

I'm nuttier than you. My cruise isn't for 6 months and I've started packing!
(I am an avid shopper and buy many things at great prices.) Let me explain what I've been "packing".

1. Birth/Certificates/Passport info
2. Razors, q-tips, new toothbrushes, etc.
3. New outfit for the formal dinners.
4. Rolled my spare change for my gambling money! (That's the extra money I saved with all my coupons, etc)
5. Local maps/books of the islands we'll be visiting. I will read/reread these many time between now and then.

Anytime I see something around the house that I can use for the cruise (and won't spoil/expire) I throw it into my suitcase.

Maybe because I'm from South Florida and used to having lots of extras on hands (Can you say 4 hurricanes last year!!) or because I have anxiety. Maybe both. I just know it makes feel better to have all my cruise things in one place.

Thanks to all who write on these boards (good or bad). It's been helping me out alot.
DeeDee

I must be really nutty too! We cruise in Feb and when I pack away my summer clothes, I pack them in my suitcase for my cruise. At that time I know what 's been comfortable and matching. I keep adding to the suitcase as I buy stuff on sale.

Two weeks before my cruise I take everything out of the suitcase and take 1/3 of it away. Several days before the cruise I take the stuff out and iron it and pack it properly. I love the whole planning part of cruising and the suitcase packing keeps me excited for months and extends that great feeling you get from cruising.

I think there are 3 types of cruisers out there. The ones that pack, and pack and pack way ahead of time (probably 1//2 of us!) , the ones that pack 3-4 days before the cruise (they are probably the very organized ones) and those who throw a couple of TShirts, shorts and undewear into a duffle bag (those are probably men!).

Sounds good to me. I have a list on a floppy (made it along time ago) that I print about 2 weeks before a trip that includes everything I need to pack. There is also one for everything I need to do around the house (stop mail, cut grass, extra food & water for cat, etc.) I adjust the list as needed. This way I have enough time to do, pack and get ready everything without problems. The list consists of carry on items also. I have one for plane/cruise trips and one for car trips.

With a 3.5 yr old, a new baby on the way, myself and my husband to worry about, I already started planning! Ive made my packing lists, bought some outfits for our new little one (I found great deals on summer baby clothes at outlet malls), thought about how I can combine my sons and daughters stuff in one small suitcase to make it easier on us, etc. I will probably start packing for myself and the kids about a month ahead of the cruise too, as usual. My husband normally waits until the night before, even the morning of a trip to pack and every time he forgets something (like a bathing suit, underwear the one time). We usually end up shopping for him. Then as we get closer to the cruise, I panic and think-did I pack that? I then go through the suitcase just to remember what all Ive packed! Whats worse is that this year we will be sailing over Christmas and New Years (normally we go over New Years) so I will have to somehow manage to pack a few small gifts from Santa in there too!

as with most single men who cruise, packing is relatively easy for me..I have a corner of my closet that has all my cruise clothes organized along with my other travel stuff (camera, cd player, sunglasses etc), so I usually pack about 2 nights before the cruise

my GF on the other hand, being the busy person that she is, usually is still packing on the morning of leaving and I hate it when I go to pick her up and she is still putting stuff in the suitcase

I also keep a list on my computer for everyone in the family. They each have their own list covering their heads down to their toes. They are responsible for their own suitcase and if anything is missing, its their fault. I also have a generic list like stopping newspapers, etc. Also a "bathroom list" for bandaids, creme, shavers, etc. I run it off each time we go on a cruise. Its a lifesaver.

I also start two weeks or so prior to a cruise. I put the suitcases out in our extra bedroom and start adding things as I think of them. I also try and purchase items far in advance on sale knowing we will be cruising. I would go nuts if I was packing the morning of my cruise. I can not work under stress.

I try and keep our cruise gear separate from my other travel wear. This way it is always ready to go! (in case some rich uncle offers us a cruise around the Pacific..lol)

We learn something after each cruise regarding what to take and what to leave.
We are packing more mix and match wrinkle-free clothes.

Several travel gear stores sell quick dry undies. This undewear will dry quickly even under humid conditions. Packing for a 10 - 14 day cruise, we only took 4 pair of undies each. Plenty...cause we could wash and dry each night...and have extras just in case.
The package for the undies says you only need 2 pair...we don't like to cut it that close!!
But with some good travel wear choices, you save suitcase space and weight.

We take two bathing suits. While one dries...we have the other one to use. This way we can go to the spa one part of the day and swimming later without putting on a wet suit.

We start serious packing 2 weeks in advance...like everyone said before, you then add and subtract until the day you leave!!!!!

HAHA! This is so funny to read this, because I was just packing for our cruise! I put a laundry basket in everyone's bedroom about 2 weeks before the cruise, and tell them as they think of things, to put them in the basket. That way, I can go over my list and look if everyone has what they need, and it is all in one organized area. I agree...packing is just the beginning of the fun!

This is a very funny thread!! Our cruise is two months away...57 days to be exact and last night, my friend and i already started on our packing list and my husband was teasing us! but i agree the "pre cruise" shopping, packing, etc..are def part of the excitement. by the way...to anyone who has the countdown timer for their cruise....how do i get that in my posts??
thanks,
gina

Hi,
I just booked on the Serenade that is sailing 9 months from now and I am already thinking I have to hit the sale racks in the stores now. I live in the northeast and in a month they will already start putting the fall clothes out. I can forget about finding anything fun in March.

We are going in March and in my nutty mind I'm already thinking how can I reduce my suitcases. In todays paper it gave a lesson on how to pack. It said less clothes more money!!!! I think this time I'll be serious and only take what I will wear (HA-HA) There are such great ideas on this post that I found very helpful. I always say if I were rich I would hire someone to pack for us. Oh well not a nice job but somebody has to do it!!

I start throwing things in the suitcase (which is under our bed) as soon as we book. Every time I find clothes I think we might want to bring, I buy them and throw them in. I also pick up shampoo, toothpaste and things like that when I go grocery shopping and throw them in a ziplock bag in the suitcase. A few weeks before we leave, I start weeding out. The day before, I iron anything that needs it and pack it all up. We 'll be on the Voyager in September and I have started "packing" in March! My brother and his wife are going with us and she got their id's ready the weekend we booked!